Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-07-23

CSersees Asoo0s 8aisess on9 Dsepo ffo0 -
It was by slow stages, writes T. b.
Murnane to the Boston Globe, that the
present high standing Of the pitchers
art was attained. Arthur Cummings,
Brooklyn youth, was the first to bring
into use the out-curve. He was known
as the boy wonder, back in 1869, with
the Stars, Of Brooklyn. I have heard
him tell how he first discovered the
curve. He was pitching against
picked nine one day and noticed the
ball curving. He had no difficulty in
striking the batsmen out, and went
home that night and tried to study ont
the phenomenon. The next day he In
vited some gentlemen friends out to see
him work. Their laughed at him, and
when he tried to convince them that he
could accomplish what he claimed he
failed, as no doubt in his anxiety he
sent the ball 100 fast. and very little
curve can be got on . speedy-pitched
ball. He was not discouraged, how
ever, but went out with his catcher the
next day and learned that the curve
came from a certain twist which he
gave his wrist. He worked hard until
he got good control of the new move
and then astonished the scientific
world. Cummings was of slight build,
his pitching was very graceful, and his
curve was Of the sailing kind, much
like Caruther's of the ST. Louis Browns
In 1873, Avery, the famous Yale
pitcher, discovered the ain-shoot." /
don't think he could curve ball, at
least never saw him do it, and / hit
against his pitching several times. His
effectiveness was handicapped by the
inability of his catcAafs to hold him, as
without doubt the "in-shoot" is the most
difficult ball to handle, for in those
days the .cstchers were not protected
with gloves or masks.
Fred Nichols, better known a.
Tricky Nick" was the first to make
good use of the drop ball. He was Q
great puzzle to the heavy hitters in
1856. At Bridgeport and New Ha-
ven. Conn, Nichols got great drop on
the ball, when pitchers had to keep
their hand below the belt, which would
puzzle any of our twirlers of the present
day to accomplish.
Matthews was undoubtedly the first
pitcher to work the raise ball, as far
back as 1862 I never saw him pitch
an out-curve until 1878, and I
faced his pitching for several years
before that. In 1873 Matthews was
with the Worcesters, and pitcheds
against the Bostons, defeating them.
He had changed his style altogether
from previous years and adopted one
arm Days style, that is, making .
double motion by drawing back before
delivering the ball. With his head
work and the addition of the curve he
jumped into the front ranks once
more.
The next ball that seemed to bother
the batters was introduced 5y McCor-
mick, of the Stars of Syracuse. This
young pitcher had Mike Dorgsn, now
of the New Yorks for catcher. They
shut out about all the crack clubs OF
the country that paid them visit The
ball he deceived the batsmen with was
q raise curve, now used by Radbourn,
of the Bostons. He gave his field easy
chances; the out-feld had most of the
work to do off his pitching. I never
saw him pitch ball below mans
belt. He had perfect control of the
ball and cool head.
The curve drop was first worked by
'the only Nolan" at Columbus, Ohio,
IN 1876. For several seasons he fooled
The best batsmen.
ALI these different curves, raises,
shoots, and drops were discovered by
people. It is now no unusual
Thing to find a pitcher with all these
points and many more wrinkles that
they keep working up. Change OF
pace was most beautifully illustrated
BY AL Spalding in the old Boston
champions. Tim Keefe, of the New
Yorks, is now the most successful in
hat line, while Clarkson, of the Chi
lagos, is also working the change OF
pace to good advantage. Will White
md John Ward were about the first to
work the sharp curve and "in-shoot" as
ar back as 1873. One Of the greatest
If not the greatest that ever
;wirled ball, was Charley Sweeney,
Who was with the Providence club in
1874 He was the first and only man
hat I ever saw who could curve an out
oall to left-hand batsman. Several
If the pitchers can get shoot, but his
uoo a Gloon cuPvo He has the mn.